Michael Jackson: Don't Matter If You're Black or White

I swore I wouldn't do this. Swore it up and down.

But I'm doing it anyway. Here goes....

You're living under a rock if you hadn't heard about the recent death of Michael Jackson. At only 50 years old, on June 25, 2009, Jackson reportedly died from a sudden heart attack; although, at present, reports say that the cardiac arrest may be the result of a drug overdose and Jackson's doctors are being investigated.

I'm not going to bombard you with Thriller videos, a time line of Jackson's life, or anything sappy like that.

No, I think I'll discuss something that is so politically incorrect today: the black MJ and the white MJ.

I was a fan of the black Michael Jackson; a man who has long since ceased to exist.

As a teenager, I mimicked the moves from the Thriller video as I sang along at the top of my lungs.

For what it's worth, I'm still inclined to tune into Thriller, Billy Jean, or Beat It.

An awesome Pop Star that, unfortunately, my children will never really know. ("Michael Jackson was black?" asked my 13-year-old.)

After Jackson's burn accident while filming the 1984 Pepsi commercial and he (supposedly) was diagnosed with Vitaligo, an autoimmune disorder that causes white patches to appear on the skin, became lighter and lighter.

I find it a little ironic that by the time his chart topping song Black or White was released in 2001, Jackson had transformed from a black man into what can best be described as a white man (although the extensive plastic surgery to the facial features requires using the term "man" loosely.)

The white Michael Jackson was the one accused of perverse acts with children (although never convicted, so his guilt is up for debate), a known pill junkie, engaged in acts of child endangerment (dangling a newborn baby over a balcony), and frequently referred to as a "freakshow."

While I hope that Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, is now at peace, I can't help but to wonder: maybe it does matter if you're black or white.

Life seemed to be much better for him (and sane) as a black man.